Compartmented pressurized dispensing device



y 1967 J. P. MODDERNO COMPARTMENTED PRESSURIZED DISPENSING DEVICE 2SheetsSheet 1 Filed May 17, 1965 7 I (Ill! 1 /Ill 2 a" m m m u W 2 U m 0":1 w I 2 8 m F 4 5\/ n. t a 2 2 U /V 4/ I h Z/////////////////////////////////////I fl fl I I 'I lllllv ll lllllInl IFig.

John R Mo dderna y 1967 J- P. MODDERNO 3,318,484

COMPARTMENTED PRESSURIZED DISPENSING DEVICE Filed May 17, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 4 Fig. 4

27 :1; 'z l r:. If 5 26 I: /9 :2: a 4 Inventor 24 2 John P. Madoemo AIorney:

United States Patent 3,318,484 COMPAR'IMENTED PRESSURIZED DISPENSINGDEVICE John P. Modderno, Gambrilis, Md., assignor to Modem- Lab., Inc.,Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No.456,051 4 Claims. (Cl. 222-136) The present invention relates to acompartmented dispensing device designed for separately storing two ormore ingredients of a multi-component system, and to the method ofproducing such dispensing device in assembled form with the storedcomponents therein. More particularly, this invention relates to adispensing device in which two or more materials are separately storedin nested containers, and are combined shortly before being dispensedfrom the device. This invention relates to another specific embodimentof the invention disclosed in US. patent application Ser. No. 431,420,filed Feb. 9, 1965, now Patent No. 3,255,926, dated June 6, 1966.

It will be appreciated that there are various compositions which cannotbe marketed in pro-mixed form. Such compositions are hair dyes, dentalimpression formulas, polyurethanes, rubberized silicones, epoxies,polystyrene foam, foods, insecticides, lacquers, paint compositions, andmany other multi-component systems of the type wherein reactions takeplace upon mixing of the components of the respective system. Suchcomponents may be advantageously packaged in the compartmenteddispensing devices of the type exemplified by the present species.Compositions of the above type require special packaging in order tomaintain the components of the respective systems separated duringshipment and in storage, and yet allow the components to be broughttogether in a convenient manner when their use is desired.

The present invention is comprised broadly of containers for thedispensing of all types of compositions of the above mentioned generalcharacter which must be mixed in situ at the time of use. In thecommercialization of such products the reactive components are held instates of inactivity for an indefinite period of time to account forshipping and storage periods, and to permit the formation of aneffective product when needed.

In certain systems which require refrigeration of the product when thecomponents thereof are admixed, the components may be stored separatelyin the containers without refrigeration prior to admixture.

The dispensing device of the present invention meets these needs byproviding an outer container for the storage of one component, and aninner container containing another component positioned within saidouter container. The inner container has a closure Which may be openedas will be described more fully hereinafter to enable the components tobe mixed prior to dispensing the composition for its intended use.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide acompartmented dispensing device having inner and outer containers forstoring separated components in which means facilitating the mixing ofthe separated components are operatively connected to the dischargenozzle assembly of the dispensing device.

A further object of this invention is to provide a cornpartmentedpressurized dispensing device which can be produced and assembled foruse efficiently and economically.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the examination of thedrawings, the following detailed description, and the appended claims.

In the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like parts inthe several views:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational cross-sectional View of one embodiment of acompartmented pressurized dispensing device made in accordance with thepresent invention and the prior teachings of co-pending application Ser.No. 431,420 as aforesaid, with the inner container being shown in fulllines in its assembled position and in dotted lines in its recessedposition for permitting admixture of the components;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the dispensing devicewith the inner container being separated from its closure by thedepressing of the valve so as to permit the inner container to drop andthe components to mix;

FIGURE 3 is a detailed view of the form of valve which may be used todislodge the inner container and yet control the discharge of theproduct from the outer container as by angularly moving the valve meansby the fingers; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the valve means andcontainer in normal storage position and with a safety cap aflixed tothe spout portion of the valve.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a dispensing device of thepresent invention is illustrated as having an outer container 10. Theupper open end of container 19 has a cup-shaped cover 11 clenchedthereto by doubleseamed flange 12 to provide an hermetic seal betweencover 11 and container 10. Cup-shaped cover 11 has a rim-med aperture 13which receives and retains therein a grooved elongated annular gasket14-.

Rotatably positioned in gasket 14 is a 15 which has a flared flange 16providing an abutment for the upper end of gasket 14. At the lower endof dis-charge nozzle 15 there is formed a valve unit consisting of aplurality of apertures 17 which provide access to the interior of thedischarge nozzle, and a valve flange 18 which in its normal position isin sealing engagement with a valve seat 19 formed at the bottom ofgasket 14. Due to the resiliency of gasket 14 which may be formed ofrubber, polyethylene or other suitable flexing material, a downwardlateral force applied to depress the upper end of discharge nozzle 15and to distort the wall of gasket 14 as at 20 is effective to unseatvalve flange 13 and move apertures 17 into a lower position to establisha flow path from the interior of container 10 through apertures 17 intodischarge nozzle 15. To avoid inadvertent deflection of discharge nozzle15, it may be covered by a suitable cap 21. To this end, the dischargenozzle may be provided with exterior threads 22 so that the cap may bethreaded thereon. A depressing lever 23 which is preferably molded in aunit with discharge nozzle 15 and valve flange 18 extends downwardlywithin a normally fixed inner container 24 and is adapted to forciblyengage the bottom 25 thereof to displace container 24.

Inner container 24 is preferably positioned axially within outercontainer 1! In the present illustration, the inner container may be ofany desired cross section with a wide mouth and it may be a bottle madeof glass or a suitable plastic. The inner container has an upper neck 26which may be friction locked into a cap 27. Cap 27 is preferablyintegral with the gasket 14 which as indicated above may be molded ofrubber, polyethylene or like resilient material. It will be appreciatedthat with cap 27 operatively engaging neck 26, a component within theinner container 24 is separated from any components confined betweencontainer 24 and outer container 10.

The purpose of depressing lever 23 will now be de scribed assuming thatthe filled dispensing device is to be readied for use, In order to mixthe components stored in the inner and outer containers, the userpresses the discharge nozzle 15 in the direction of the arrow showndischarge nozzle in FIGURE 2. This causes a corresponding downwardpressure on lever 23 which as stated will abut bottom 25 of innercontainer 24. The inner container 24 due to this pressure of lever 23 isdetached from the friction-lock cap 27, and moves somewhat as indicatedin FIGURE 1 to the position shown in dotted lines. For best results withmost products the device is shaken to accomplish an intimate admixtureof the now combined ingredients in order to ready the product fordischarge.

7 A production line method of assembling compartmented dispensingdevices in accordance with the present invention will now be described.The outer container 10 is partially filled with one of the components,or with a mixture of compatible components at a first filling station.Concurrently, the inner container 24 is filled with another component ata second filling station. The filled inner container is then passed toan assembly station at which pre-assembled units consisting of covers11, discharge nozzle and the associated structure including cap 27 areunited to the inner container. At this time, cap 27 is friction-lockedonto neck 26 of the inner container to seal ofithe component within theinner container. The discharge of units from this station ispreferablycorrelated withthe discharge of the partially filled corresponding outercontainers from the first filling station. The subassemblies are thenpicked up by suitable gripping means or the like, and the covers 11 areplaced in position upon the ,outercontainers 10 with the innercontainers positioned within the outer containers. Covers 11 may now besealed to containers 10 by flanges 12 or any other suitable means suchas double seaming. The assembled dispensing device may be pressurized inknown manner with a propellant such as one or more of the Freons,hydrocarbons, nitrogen, argon or other suitable gas, depending upon thecomponents and products involved. The dispensing device in thiscondition may be stored until use is desired, whereby pressure on thedischarge nozzle 15 is effective to permit mixing of the componentswithin the containers in the manner described above.

Although the present invention has been described with particularitywith reference to preferred embodiments, it will be appreciated, afterunderstanding the invention, that various changes and modifications canbe made therein without departing from the scope and spirit of theinvention. For example," while the invention has been described in.connection with a pressurized dispensing device, certain features of theinvention may find use in a squeeze type of dispensing device.Accordingly, it is intended to encompass all such changes andmodifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A compartmented dispensing device for separately storing ingredientsof a multi-component pressure dispensing system until use is desired,comprising an outer container having an opening in one end thereof,dispensing valve means mounted in said opening for discharging thecontents of the device to the atmosphere, an inner container having anopening in one end thereof disposed within said outer container, aclosure for said inner container mounted in said outer container openingsupporting said inner container in said outer container, and meansoperatively connected to said valve means for disengaging said innercontainer and means connecting said valve means and said closurenormally maintaining said disengaging means in its inoperative position;whereby a downward pressure exerted on said valve meansefiects'disengagement of said inner container from said closure topermit communication between said containers.

2. A dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein the meansoperatively connected to said valve means include means projectingdownwardly to abut a portion of said inner container to effect thedisengagement from said closure.

3. A dispensing device according to claim 1 wherein the last mentionedmeans operatively connected to said valve means include an'essentiallyelongated shaft mem-' ber attachedto valve meansof said outer container,said member having at one end abutment means adapted to contact thebottom of said inner container.

4. A pressurized dispensing device for separately storing components ofa multi-component system until use is desired, comprising an outercontainer provided with an opening in one end thereof, an annular gasketsecured within said opening, the lower end of said annular gasketconstituting an annular valve seat, a valve device for dispensing thecontents of said dispensing device includ' ing a discharge nozzleportion'retained Within said annular gasket; an annular closing meanspositioned to normally engage said valve seat in sealed engagementtherewith, said discharge nozzlefportion above and adjacent to saidannular closing means being provided withat 7 least one aperturetherein, an inner container positioned within said outer container, acap-like closure for said inner container integrally connected to theannular gasket, said closure being friction-lock connected to andsupporting said inner container'within said outer container, and a leverconnected to said valve device and having means positioned to engage aportion of said inner contamer upon a inward movement of said dischargenozzle portion to thereby disengage said closure from said inner.container to permit mixing of the contents of said containers. a

References Cited by the Examiner V UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,704,6213/1955 Sofier -222 182 2,974,785 3/1961 Griffon 206-47 3,134,505 5/1964Modderno 222432 3,240,403 3/1966 Modderno 206- 17 X FOREIGN PATENTS746,448 3/1956 Great Britain. 472,2 4 6/1952 Italy;

RAPHAEL M. LUPO, Primary Examiner.

1. A COMPARTMENTED DISPENSING DEVICE FOR SEPARATELY STORING INGREDIENTSOF A MULTI-COMPONENT PRESSURE DISPENSING SYSTEM UNTIL USE IS DESIRED,COMPRISING AN OUTER CONTAINER HAVING AN OPENING IN ONE END THEREOF,DISPENSING VALVE MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID OPENING FOR DISCHARGING THECONTENTS OF THE DEVICE TO THE ATMOSPHERE, AN INNER CONTAINER HAVING ANOPENING IN ONE END THEREOF DISPOSED WITHIN SAID OUTER CONTAINER, ACLOSURE FOR SAID INNER CONTAINER MOUNTED IN SAID OUTER CONTAINER OPENINGSUPPORTING SAID INNER CONTAINER IN SAID OUTER CONTAINER, AND MEANSOPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID VALVE MEANS FOR DISENGAGING